Torn Apart by Life
by Project Rouge
Summary: For the Warriors Challenge Forum's Scars Just Fade. Here lies an apprentice that tried to live, but didn't get to. Oneshot.


**AN: So I've happily joined PhoenixClan on the Warriors Challenge Forum, and I'm seriously happy! This is my first challenge, called **_**Scars Just Fade**_**. Warning: Angst is defiantly in this oneshot. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.**

Marshpaw- dark brown tabby tom with paler tabby markings and pale blue eyes. Half of his tail is missing and a nasty scar stretches from his left shoulder to his right shoulder.

. . .

The dark brown tabby tom stood at the edge of a battle, pale blue eyes wide with shock. "No. . . IceClan is losing!" The tom yowled. Behind him stood tall warriors, battle hunger in their eyes. "Marshpaw, you were smart to run back and get the rest of the warriors. Now just leave the battle to us." A warrior told him.

Marshpaw nodded numbly and the warriors of IceClan leaped into the battle against FireClan. Realizing he should help his clan, Marshpaw ran behind the warriors into the battle. Yowls filled the air as blood spilled onto the green grass, staining it a color of crimson. Marshpaw ducked as a warrior flew over his head, snarling. Spotting his leader Icestar, he began to race to his snow white leader.

Icestar was battling FireClan's leader Flamestar. Icestar hissed as Flamestar's claws dug into her shoulder. With a small yowl Marshpaw leaped at Flamestar. The fiery ginger tom whirled around to see the dark brown tom leap at him.

Narrowing his almost blood red eyes, Flamestar pinned the apprentice and spat in his face. "You dare challenge the leader of FireClan, stupid apprentice?" Marshpaw looked up into his eyes and his own pale blue eyes went wide with pure fear. Flamestar chuckled. "You should be afraid of me, apprentice!" He snarled. Flamestar raised his claws and brought them down on Marshpaw's left shoulder.

The apprentice let out a yowl of pain as Flamestar slowly dragged his sharp claws across Marshpaw's back, missing the pale tabby markings on his back. He finally ended the pain for the apprentice by stopping his sharp claws on Marshpaw's right shoulder. "That should teach you, apprentice!" Flamestar spat in his face. Suddenly the ginger tom was bowled over and Marshpaw struggled to his paws.

Icestar had attacked Flamestar, fury in her turquoise eyes. "You dare hurt my apprentice!" She yowled. Flamestar met her blow for blow, claws screeching as they clawed at each other. Marshpaw looked around, his shoulders and back shrieking with pain. The warriors of IceClan were dying faster by the second. Marshpaw's mentor Fallowspirit skidded to a stop beside him. "Marshpaw," The she-cat panted. "You must escape! Flamestar was serious about killing us, and you must run from FireClan! Please Marshpaw, for IceClan. If you find other cats, tell them about IceClan and keep our memory alive."

Fallowspirit touched her nose gently to Marshpaw's, and the apprentice was suddenly full of fear, even more than when Flamestar had viciously attacked him. Suddenly a large brown and ginger tom tackled Fallowspirit, and the two went hissing and spitting as they fought for their clans. Marshpaw scrambled away, his heart beating faster than it had ever been, even more so than his apprentice ceremony.

Head twisting around, Marshpaw looked at his long gash on his back. It was very deep and would most likely scar him for life. With a small whimper, Marshpaw turned around again to see Icestar fall to the ground dead. _Oh my StarClan_. All around the young apprentice, FireClan cats were cheering as they slaughtered more IceClan cats.

_Fallowspirit was right; I have to get out of here_. The apprentice looked at his clan which he had grown up in and sighed. _Goodbye IceClan. May StarClan light your paths_. Marshpaw turned and bounded off, hoping to heal the wound in his heart caused by the destruction of IceClan.

(Moons later)

Marshpaw's scar never healed after the final battle against FireClan. With a sigh the older apprentice headed towards a Thunderpath to hopefully catch some prey. Spotting a fat rabbit, he began to creep forward silently.

_Almost. . .there. . ._ Marshpaw had almost reached the rabbit on the Thunderpath when it looked up and sprang off. Marshpaw stared after it, disappointment and hunger gnawing at his stomach. "Fox dung!" The apprentice muttered. A light flashed ahead but Marshpaw took no notice. The light grew brighter and Marshpaw finally turned to see what it was.

"Great StarClan! Save me, anyone!" He yowled, as the monster came barreling down the Thunderpath. His fear locked him into place as the monster came nearer and nearer. Finally, some action in Marshpaw caused him to throw himself out of the way, but not soon enough.

Marshpaw let out a shriek of agony as his tail was caught underneath the paws of the monster. Agony and pain filled him as the monster nearly tore his entire tail off. When the hazy vision of red subsided, Marshpaw looked at his ravaged tail. It was torn in half and oozing lots of blood. Weak from the loss of blood and no food in days, Marshpaw stumbled off the Thunderpath in agony.

Finally reaching a tall tree, he began to sink his claws into the soft bark and pulled himself up. Nearing the top of the tree, Marshpaw quickly made a nest and settled himself into the nest and fell asleep.

During the night, a dog was roaming around in the woods very close to where Marshpaw was sleeping. The dog named Spots sniffed the tree where the apprentice was sleeping and began to growl slowly. Rearing up, Spots smashed into the tree with his body. The tree trembled and Marshpaw almost fell out of the tree.

Spots reared up and smashed into it again. This time, Marshpaw finally woke up just to see himself slide out of the tree. He let out a shriek as he fell and tried to balance himself with his tail, but to no avail. The dog's jaws opened wide as Marshpaw fell, and his last thought was:

_I pray that IceClan and StarClan may forgive me and accept me into the stars._

. . .

**AN: 1,019 words! Not counting the Author's notes. =D I hope I did good Ravenwing! It took me a while to plan out the plot and it just came to me. I was thinking whether to have Marshpaw fall out of the tree and hit the ground and just die from the height, a fox catches him after the Thunderpath incident, or he just got crushed by the monster. /Shrug/ Anyways, I made it different and I really hope you enjoyed it! =)**


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